Jbivihg-geas



c. E. STARR. VEHICLE DRIVING GEAR. APPLICATION HLED OCT. 15, I917- Iatented- Dee. 2,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I AOREY C. E. STARR. VEHECLE DRIVING GEAR. APPLICATION FILED OCT.15, 1917.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919. V

CHARLES n. STARR, or snnno woonnnr, Wasnrneron, 'essrouon snerrnn rnrnn'r 'IC'ZDI no CORPORATION, or sni rrnn; wasninoron, a coaronsrro n or YVASH- J at;

1 G110 w I DRIVIIQ'G-GEAT:E.

1 3 23,1795. I I Specification of Itctters Patent. 2 19119,

Application filczlfcto'oer is, 191?. Serial No. rennin I 7 1'0 aw whom it may concern: .ln; the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 Be it known that I, CHARLES E. STARR, a is a somewhat diagrannnaticview in rear citizen of the United States, and resident of elevation oi Ia vehicle upon which this in- Eedro VVoolley, county of Ska it, and State ventionlisinstalled; Fig. 2 is a view in ver- "7 of lVashington, (whose post-o ce address is 'tical. section of a wheel'hub and associated 6i Eledro Woolley, Washington) have invented. parts that are constructedin accordance with k, a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle thin-invention, certain parts beingshown in Driving-Gears o which the following is a cleva tiongihlig. 3 a view in cross section specification. v I J substantially on broken lineS-3 of Fig. 2; This invention relates-to improvements in; and Fig. l is a view in elevation of the geaifl fi mechanism for communicating power to the mechanism as it may appear whenthe cover driving-wheels of motor vehicles and to inn plate of the gear housing is removed, certain n rovementsj'in devices for supporting the U parts being brokenaway to better reveal. the weight of the body of such vehicles upon the construction of cert? other parts. wheels thereof. i Referring to the drawings throughout 7G The object of the invention is to provide which like reference numerals indicate like a strong and durable hub structure for'theparts, the nunie ill 5 indicates the difi erenrear wheels of a motor vehicle that embodies tial axle of a motor vehicle and 6 indicates speed reduction gearing located on the outa non-rotatable a de housing of well known no side of the wheel, hub and adapted to be form within which the axle 5 is disposed. I directly connected with the differential axle The hub mechanism comprising this inof the vehicle and also embodies suitable 'vention consists of a sleeve 7 that is adapted truss means whereby the greater portion of to lit-over the housing Gand is formed on the weight of the vehicle body is supported its outer end w1th a triangularly shaped by the hub structure froma point as near as flange. 8 to which are secured three equiw so possible to the center of the wheel. distant bearing pins 9 that, carry bushings A further object is to form the hub struc- 10 upon which are mounted pinions 11. The ture so as to admit of the use of a full lioatbearing pins may be screwed into the j l flange 8 as indicated at 12.

The power transmission and body s'up- 13 is an annular bushing having Babbitt porting structures herein disclosed are de metal inserts ll and disposed upon the sleeve signed especially for use in converting ordiad acent the flange 8 to form a bearing for nary automobiles or pleasure cars into trucks the annularmember 1:) that constitutes the c or tractors. inner portion vof the wheel hub.

By the use of this device the drive chains The member 15 is flanged as at 16 and 84 H and jack shaft commonly used on rebuilt terminates in. an outwardly extending an: trucks and tractors are done away with and nular element 1? that forms a housing for a completely housed gear drive-that is conthegears. 1 I f nected directly with the differential axle is 18 is a brake drum located on the inner, 4 substituted in place thereof. side of the Wheel in such a manner that the Another advantageousfeature or" this despokes 19 of the Wheel may-be inserted bevice resides in. the mounting of the gearing tween the brake drum and the flange port on on outside of the wheel hub, thus leaving 16 and the two'tightly secured together the inner side of the hub free to have the bolts 2Q to form a rigidwheel structure. brakev rum mounted thereon in the usual" Within the gear housing 1 and fixedlyvloo manner. secured thereto, is disposed 3 an internally, The iinvention consists in'thenoval con toothed gear 21, that meshes with the pin? struction of reduction gear for the drive ions '11. 'lhe axle, 5 is ot the full floating .wheelsof a motor vehicle and in the a'dapta type and is provided on its outer end with tion andcombination therewith'of hub ;a tapered portion. 22 upon which is disposed its mechanism for the wheels and truss means a gear: Wheel-23 that secured to the shaft having a bearing, near the center of the so that it will rotate therewith by means of wheels vforsupporting the weight of the key -anc l a nut 2o:- the gear wheel .yehicle body; as will be more clearly'here is provided. with a bearing washer-26 on ts 5 inafter described and claimed. "inner surface and ada t m ho-mel 11o 9 so that when the upper part 32 is provided with the pinionsll so that when the shaft 5 is rotated the pinions 11-will be driven and will act upon the internal gear 21 to turn the wheel.

2.7 is a triangular plate havinga central recess 28, to accommodate the end of the axle 5 and provided at three points with suitable holes that-fit over the bearing pins nuts 30 are screwed tightly onto the ends of the bearing pins 9 t ie plate 27 will be forced against shoulders 9 on the ins 9 and theouter ends of the three bear mg pins relation, the plate 27 triangular flange 8 for the pinions 11.

The outer end of the gear housing 17 may be closed by a suitable cap 31 and the housing'may be filled with grease or oil so that the gear will always be thoroughly lubri cated when in use.

Mounted upon'the sleeve 7 just inside of thebrake drum 18 is a two part spring thus coacting with the to form a rig-id cage support that consists of an upper section.

32am], a lower section 33. The two parts 32 and 33 are provided with flanges 32 and 33, respectively, that form a cover or ;closure for the end of the brake drum 18 and a suitable flat bearing surface or spring saddle 34 upon which a sprihg 35 is adapted to rest. The members 32 and 33. are secured to the sleeve to prevent respectiveturning movement by dowel pins 36.

37 is a truss bolster that rests upon and is secured to the spring 35 and forms a rigid arch connection between the hub members on'opposite sides of the vehicle. Thetruss 37, spring 35 and the two parts 32 and 33 of the spring support are all gether by bolts 38 that pass through suitable, holes' in the truss member 37 and through suitable holes in outwardly turned flanges on the two parts 32 arid; 33 offthe spring support, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. v

The leaves of the spring 35- may befurther secured together by a bolt 40, the head and nut of recesses in the member 32 and truss 37, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Aside from its bearing upon the spring ,35 thetrus s member 37 is rigidly connected by a U bolt' ll with the extreme innerend of the sleeve -7, thus forming a rigid arched structure between the sleeves 7 on opposite 1 housing that securely ties ends of the axle the two driving wheels together and prethe axle housing 6.

and reliev part of the cad.

The hub mechanism of the" two wheels is may be will be rigidly secured in spacedthe sleeve connected to-- ends of all of said bearing pins,

bearing member interposed between housing and meshing which are disposed in suitable.

--,mounted on said sleeve, the upper part of said the truss mechanism for conon the inner side-of however identical so that only one of the same has been shown and described in detail.

The gearing in the device herein disclosed is disposed within a dust proof housing that filled with oil or grease so thatthe gearing will always be brioated and will run with a minimum amount of friction and wear.

The hub structure admits of the use of a full floating axle and the mechanism for supporting the weight of the vehicle body and is so constructed and arranged that the great portion of the weight is carried by 7, and the axle housing is relieved of undue strain.

Then the wheel is spring 35 and truss bolster connected from the sleeve thus permitting the sleeve 7 to be slipped ofi of the housing 6 and the various parts to be disassembled.

It is obvious that by varyingthe relative sizes of the several gears and pinions the gear ratio maybe varied to suit the requireto be removed the 37 will be dis- -ments for installation on difierent types of cars.

' Manifestly changes in the form of con-V, struction of the details of this device may be resorted to within the scope of the following claims.

lVhat I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1s-- sleeve, a plurality of bearing pins in said jflange, gearwheels mounted on said bearing pins, a plate rigidly connecting the outer a wheel that fits over said sleeve, a said a gear housing sehaving a hub sleeve and said hub,

. cured to tle outer end of said hub, an

internal gear fixedly disposed within. said with said pinions whereby rotation of said axle will turn said wheel, a two part spring support a spring saddle on support adjacent the hub of said wheel, a truss member connected with said support adjacent said saddle and means connecting SillCl truss with the inner end of said sleeve.

2. The combination with a rotary axle and fixed housing surrounding the same, of a sleeve disposed to fit over the end of said housing and secured thereto, a driving wheel having a hub journaled upon said sleeve the sleeve extending through the hub, speed reduction gears interposed between said Wheel hub and said axle and locatedon the outer side of said hub, a brake drum located said hub, and means kept thoroughly lu- 7 and inember3'3 we e 12. H

"011 said sleeve adjacent said brake. drum for supporting a spring whereby the load will be supported from apoint adjacent the center of the wheel. v

3. The combination with the 'rear axle and axle housing of an automobile, of Wheels provided with hub'structures that comprise sleeves adapted to slip over the opposite ends of said axle housing, spring supports carried by said sleeves adjacent said wheels, springs secured to-said spring supports and a'separable truss above said axle and rigidly connecting with the said spring supports on the two opposite Wheels, said truss also be-* ing rigidly connected with the inner ends of said sleeves- 4:.The combination with the differential axle and axle houslng of a motor vehicle, of wheels having hubs provided with sleeves that fit over the opposite ends of said housing, gear means in said wheel hubs and connected with said differential axle for rotating said Wheels at reduced speed 'in response to rotation of said axle, spring supports carried by said sleeves, a truss member having one end fixedly secured to each of said 5. The comb' ation with the differential axle and axle ousing of a' motor vehicle, of sleeves that fit over and are secured to the opposite ends of the housing, wheels rotatably mounted on the sleeves, reduction gearing disposed on the outside of the wheels and connecting the wheels with the axle, two part spring supports disposed to fit over said sleeves on the inside of said Wheels, pins connecting said sleeves and said spring supports, springs carried by said spring supports, a truss having one end secured to each of said spring supports and means connecting the inner ends of said sleeves with said truss whereby a rigid support extending crosswise of the car will be formed to relieve the axle housing from strain.

Signed at Sedro Woolley, Washington, this 29th day of Sept, 1917;

CHARLES E. STARR. 

